Friday, March 28, 2008

This Day In Music History- March 28

1958-Opening night of "Alan Freed's Big Beat Show," a two-month tour, finds Jerry Lee Lewis arguing with Chuck Berry over who will close the show. Freed decided Berry will get to go last, inciting a literally incendiary performance by Lewis, who torched his piano during his set-closing "Great Balls of Fire."

Today in 1981, the song "Rapture" by Blondie topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 2003, officials in Manchester, England canceled a Bruce Springsteen concert after residents complain about noise levels. 50,000 tickets had already been sold. Uhhh, it’s a concert people.

In 1996, Phil Collins says he's leaving Genesis 20 years to the day after he made his North American debut as their lead singer.

In 1982, David Crosby was pulled over in Los Angeles and was discovered to be driving under the influence of cocaine. The singer's day turns worse after police discovered Quaaludes, drug paraphernalia, and a .45-caliber pistol in his car.

Blues guitarist Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, best known for the hit "That's All Right Mama," died in Nassawadox, Virginia in 1974. Elvis Presley loved the song so much he recorded it as his first single for Sun Records in 1954.

Led Zeppelin released "Houses of the Holy" in 1973.

In 1958, legendary songwriter W.C. Handy died at age 84. The Father of the Blues is credited with writing the seminal "St. Louis Blues," as well as "Memphis Blues." The latter was the first song to have the word "blues" in the title.

Reba McEntire, the country superstar who turned to acting later in her career, was born today in 1954.

Eddie Cochran recorded his classic teen angst tune “Summertime Blues” in 1958.

In 1969, Ringo said “no.” John said “yes.” Ringo announced The Beatles will make no public appearances in the near future. John counters saying the group will make several appearances during the year. Ringo is right.

After bassist Chris Novoselic and drummer David Grohl threaten to disband Nirvana if their singer/songwriter/guitarist Kurt Cobain doesn’t get drug treatment, Cobain enters the SoCal Exodus Recovery Center in 1994. This is after Cobain nearly died from an OD in Rome only weeks earlier. Cobain walked out three days later.

In 1985, 6000 radio stations in the US and Canada simultaneously played "We Are the World", the fundraising song for African famine relief recorded by 45 superstar performers. Sales of the single, album, video and related merchandise initially raised more than $38-million US.

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